Tag: Help a Library Out

Updated: Publishers Alienating Readers Through Libraries

Posted March 2, 2011 by Holly in News | 4 Comments

I missed the announcement last week, but apparently HarperCollins has decided to put a lending cap on e-books through library systems. e-book lending is still in its infancy, but I know many readers (read: Casee) who have discovered the service recently and are overjoyed. HC, one of the Big 6 in publishing, has decided to limit the number of times a library can lend a digital title to 26, for 2 week periods. This means that after 26 people have borrowed it, the library will have to repurchase the license. In essance, it’s like buying a print book after it has been checked out 26 times. Rather ridiculous, no?

I understand that publishers are still finding their way in this new digital age. Digital reading is taking the publishing world by storm, and concerns of piracy and pricing and digital rights management (DRM) are making an already unfamiliar situation seem impossible to deal with. But I’ll tell you this, as a reader, I’m sick and tired of being taken advantage of and made to feel like a criminal for wanting the same rights for my digital library that I have for my print library.

So we’re not mistaken here: Libraries pay for the digital books they lend. The books can only be lent one at a time, to one person, for a period of 2-4wks (depending on the library). The book cannot be lent again until that lending period expires (in most cases, even if the book is returned early). Libraries are not stealing these books, then lending the same copy out to 1 million readers at once. It’s the same concept as for print books. If they have 1 in stock, only 1 reader at a time may have it.

I’m not an idiot, you know. I see what publishers are doing, and it makes me very, very angry. As it happens, I really enjoy novels from HarperCollins (and Macmillan and Simon&Schuster, who don’t even allow digital lending through libraries). Some of my favorite authors publish with them. At the end of the day, am I going to stop reading my favorite authors because the publisher won’t allow me to borrow the digital book from the library? No, I’m probably not. So the publisher has me over a barrel. They can charge twice the amount for a digital book, or make sure it isn’t available to me at my library for free, or not release the digital book until the print version has been available for a minimum of 30 days..and it isn’t going to stop me from buying it. At the end of the day, my need to read will trump my disgust with the publisher.

But that doesn’t mean I have no voice. I do. And I’m using it today to urge all of you to write the publisher, or your favorite authors (some of who are even worse than the publishers when it comes to digital advocacy), and tell them you want their books available in the library. Share with them your love of reading, and your case for wanting the same rights for digital books as for print. Let us stand up and be heard.

(as it happens, it looks like I’m just echoing what Jane @ Dear Author had to say about this subject, though she said it better. If you’re looking for more information, check out her post, or the one Overdrive recently put up to defend its position)

ETA: It looks like HarperCollins responded to the public outcry. Today Josh Marshwell, director of sales, posted an Open Letter To Librarians on the HarperLibrary blog. I’m very disheartened by his response.  Here’s the section that most baffles me:

We have serious concerns that our previous e-book policy, selling e-books to libraries in perpetuity, if left unchanged, would undermine the emerging e-book eco-system, hurt the growing e-book channel, place additional pressure on physical bookstores, and in the end lead to a decrease in book sales and royalties paid to authors. We are looking to balance the mission and needs of libraries and their patrons with those of authors and booksellers, so that the library channel can thrive alongside the growing e-book retail channel. 

 This tells me that publishers still aren’t thinking clearly about digital reading. Whether you’re an e-book reader or not, I hope you’ll agree with me that digital reading isn’t something dirty. The rights and obligations to the digital community should be the same as those offered to the print community. There’s an email address listed on that open letter..I hope you’ll utilize it. I know I plan to.

To continue the discussion please email library.ebook@HarperCollins.com


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Updated: Publishers Alienating Readers Through Libraries

Posted March 2, 2011 by Holly in Discussions | 4 Comments

I missed the announcement last week, but apparently HarperCollins has decided to put a lending cap on e-books through library systems. e-book lending is still in its infancy, but I know many readers (read: Casee) who have discovered the service recently and are overjoyed. HC, one of the Big 6 in publishing, has decided to limit the number of times a library can lend a digital title to 26, for 2 week periods. This means that after 26 people have borrowed it, the library will have to repurchase the license. In essance, it’s like buying a print book after it has been checked out 26 times. Rather ridiculous, no?

I understand that publishers are still finding their way in this new digital age. Digital reading is taking the publishing world by storm, and concerns of piracy and pricing and digital rights management (DRM) are making an already unfamiliar situation seem impossible to deal with. But I’ll tell you this, as a reader, I’m sick and tired of being taken advantage of and made to feel like a criminal for wanting the same rights for my digital library that I have for my print library.

So we’re not mistaken here: Libraries pay for the digital books they lend. The books can only be lent one at a time, to one person, for a period of 2-4wks (depending on the library). The book cannot be lent again until that lending period expires (in most cases, even if the book is returned early). Libraries are not stealing these books, then lending the same copy out to 1 million readers at once. It’s the same concept as for print books. If they have 1 in stock, only 1 reader at a time may have it.

I’m not an idiot, you know. I see what publishers are doing, and it makes me very, very angry. As it happens, I really enjoy novels from HarperCollins (and Macmillan and Simon&Schuster, who don’t even allow digital lending through libraries). Some of my favorite authors publish with them. At the end of the day, am I going to stop reading my favorite authors because the publisher won’t allow me to borrow the digital book from the library? No, I’m probably not. So the publisher has me over a barrel. They can charge twice the amount for a digital book, or make sure it isn’t available to me at my library for free, or not release the digital book until the print version has been available for a minimum of 30 days..and it isn’t going to stop me from buying it. At the end of the day, my need to read will trump my disgust with the publisher.

But that doesn’t mean I have no voice. I do. And I’m using it today to urge all of you to write the publisher, or your favorite authors (some of who are even worse than the publishers when it comes to digital advocacy), and tell them you want their books available in the library. Share with them your love of reading, and your case for wanting the same rights for digital books as for print. Let us stand up and be heard.

(as it happens, it looks like I’m just echoing what Jane @ Dear Author had to say about this subject, though she said it better. If you’re looking for more information, check out her post, or the one Overdrive recently put up to defend its position)

ETA: It looks like HarperCollins responded to the public outcry. Today Josh Marshwell, director of sales, posted an Open Letter To Librarians on the HarperLibrary blog. I’m very disheartened by his response.  Here’s the section that most baffles me:

We have serious concerns that our previous e-book policy, selling e-books to libraries in perpetuity, if left unchanged, would undermine the emerging e-book eco-system, hurt the growing e-book channel, place additional pressure on physical bookstores, and in the end lead to a decrease in book sales and royalties paid to authors. We are looking to balance the mission and needs of libraries and their patrons with those of authors and booksellers, so that the library channel can thrive alongside the growing e-book retail channel. 

 This tells me that publishers still aren’t thinking clearly about digital reading. Whether you’re an e-book reader or not, I hope you’ll agree with me that digital reading isn’t something dirty. The rights and obligations to the digital community should be the same as those offered to the print community. There’s an email address listed on that open letter..I hope you’ll utilize it. I know I plan to.

To continue the discussion please email library.ebook@HarperCollins.com


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Library Love

Posted June 29, 2010 by Holly in Discussions | 14 Comments

I’ve never understood why, but education is one of the first places that budgets get cut. Likewise, I’ve never understood why teachers don’t make more money. Nothing is more important than the education of our children. Maybe it sounds trite, but they really are our future. Do we want poorly education children to become poorly educated adults? Especially when it falls to those poorly educated adults to make the important decisions about our world? Of course not. But no one seems to recognize that.

Our school district – along with most others in California and across the country – is facing major budget cuts. Our already overcrowded classrooms are being pushed to the limits. Teachers are being given pink-slips, sport programs are being cut, and the art programs are pretty much being eliminated.

As if that isn’t enough, our public libraries are taking major hits, too. My local library doesn’t have the best selection of novels for either myself (the romance section is pretty sad) or my teenage daughter (and the YA section is even worse), but they do have some amazing programs for both kids and adults. They also have some great ebook and audiobook lending options, which make their lack of print selection more bearable.

It depresses me that many of our nation’s libraries may be closing. I know Wendy and Mollie are both facing major budget cuts in their libraries.

But not all hope is lost. There are things you can do to help keep your library open. Carol Fitzgerald recently wrote a wonderful article for the Huffington Post detailing some things you can do to support your local library and hopefully keep it open.The best quote from that article, as pointed out to me by Mollie?

Someone told me that when economic times are tough there are two places you do not close — libraries and parks. People need to nurture their minds and their bodies.

I couldn’t agree with that more. I think we often take our libraries for granted. Now is the time to step up and show some Library Love!

Tell us, how is the library important to you? 

Many thanks to Authors on the Web for the link!


Image credit CCPL


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Help the Louisville library!

Posted August 6, 2009 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments


If you watch the news, you’ve probably seen the massive flooding problems in Kentucky after record rainfall. Shiloh Walker is putting together a book drive to benefit the Louisville library and is asking readers, publishers, and authors for help.

Book Drive

On August 4, heavy rains caused flooding in Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding areas. The Louisville Free Public Library’s main branch was hit hard and the damages are estimated at $1 million.

I’m putting to a book drive in effort to help.

How you can help:

Everybody:

-Donations of new books, all genres.

-Information about monetary donations can be found at WFPL.

Authors & Publishers:

-Donations of both signed and unsigned books. All genres, from children’s books to romance to non-fiction, etc, etc.

-Signed books can be used in fundraiser purposes. Unsigned books can be used to help replenish the books that were lost due to the flood.

I have spoken with somebody with the library and at this time, they have no place to store books. However, I’m close and I will keep the books at my house until they are able to take them.

For those wishing to donate books, there are two ways you can send them. I can either receive them my post box address or a friend will receive them at her home.

If you wish to mail them via the USPS, send to:

Shiloh Walker
PO Box 976
Jeffersonville, IN 47131

For those wishing to use Fedex or UPS, send to:

LFPL Book Drive
C/O Jennifer Kennedy
20813 State Rd # 62
Marysville, IN 47141

If you want any further information, feel free to contact me at casee@thebookbinge.com. I will be happy help in any way I can.


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